Samuel a



(NO-Model.)

s. A. FRENCH. POLICE NIPPERS.

No. 469,557. Patented Feb. 23, 1892.

I5 /NVENTOH: 8) a (Wg WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL A. FRENCH, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

POLICE-NIPPERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,557, dated February23, 1892.

Application filed November 13, 1391; Serial No. 411,770. (No model.)

To an whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. FRENCH, of New York city, in the countyand State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inPolice-Nippers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to an improvement in police-nippers, especially tothat class of nippers in which a chain is employed to encircle thewrist; and the object of the invention is to provide a means whereby thenipper may be expeditiously placed in position upon the wrist, and alsowhereby when two members of the nippers are locked they will bemaintained in that position; and a further object of the invention is toso construct the nippers that they will be simple, durable, andeconomic.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures and letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of the nippcrs in their open position.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the nippers, illustrating them in theirlocked position, the handle of the nippers and a portion of the shankbeing in section; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the handle,illustrating a slight modification in the construction thereof.

The device consists, primarily, of a handle constructed in two sectionsA and A and a chain B, connecting the sections. The handle-sections aremade essentially T-shaped, comprising a head or body 10 and a shank 11,the latter being integral with the former. The section A of the handleis provided with a fiat inner face and also with a longitudinal groove12, which groove preferably extends from the top longitudinally throughthe shank to the lower end thereof. The groove 12 is ordinarily madedovetail shape in crosssection and tapers longitudinally, the widestportion of the groove being at the top and the narrowest portion at thebottom. The

section A is likewise provided with a flat inner face; but in lieu ofthe groove 12 a rib 13 is formed thereon, which rib is dovetail incross-section and tapers longitudinally from top to bottom, the ribbeing so shaped as to enter the groove 12 of the section A and snuglyfit therein.

The chain B is usually attached to the inner or lower ends of the shankmembers of the handle by passing links through openings 14L produced insaid shank members, as is best shown in Fig. 1.

The groove or channel 12 may be changed in cross-sectional contour, ifdesired, in which event the rib or tongue 13 must be changed tocorrespond, and the groove or channel and likewise the rib may bedifferently disposed than shown in Fig. l'-as, for instance, the grooveand the rib may be located transversely upon the shank members only ofthe handle sections, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the operation of the device, after the chain has been placed aroundthe wrist, the tongue or rib 13 is entered at its lower end into thewider end of the groove or channel 12, and the section of the handlecarrying the rib is pressed downward until both of the handlesectionsare in the same plane-that is, the tops of the handle-sections will beeven and their inner fiat faces will be in contact. hen this position ofthe handle-sections is attained, the two sections will constitute onehandle, the chain being attached to opposite sides thereof, as shown inFig. 2. The adjustment of the handle sections, it will be observed, isexpeditiously and readily accomplished and the locking mechanism wherebythe two sections are united is exceedingly simple and durable andrenders the handlesections exceedingly economic of manufacture; and itis also evident that the adjustment or locking of the handle-seetionsmay be as readily accomplished when the rib and the groove or channelare produced transversely in the handle-sections as when they areproduced longitudinally thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A police-nippers having two separablehandle-sections provided on their inner adjacent faces, respectively,with an undercut of the shank portions of the handle and taper ordovetail interlocking rib and groove, sub ing toward their inner ends,substantially as stantially as set forth. set forth.

2. A police-nippers having two separable SAMUEL A. FRENCH. 5handle-sections provided on their inner fiat \Vitnesses:

faces with an interlocking undercut or dove- HENRY RIsHroN,

tail rib and groove extending longitudinally FRED STILLWELL.

